A booking guide to Austin rentals

You'll shimmy and twist to big-band jazz and rocking country tunes in this bumping city, where music festivals pepper the calendar and there's a venue with a foot-stomping four-piece on virtually every corner. You'll also explore winding river parks and shimmering lakes, and taste your way through sizzling BBQ and hearty neighborhoods that ooze history. Between the lot are enticing Austin rentals that are sure to have you coming back for more.

What's the range of Austin rentals like?

There's a medley of different shapes, sizes, styles, and types of vacation rentals Austin, TX, to match the mix of rock, jazz, and western music you'll hear twisting out of the city's bouncing venues. The pointers below offer a glimpse at just a few of them.

Flats, condos, and apartment rentals in Austin, TX

A condominium or a flat is one of the most convenient choices for vacationers hitting Austin. Being compact, they can get you staying in the heart of Downtown neighborhoods, close to shopping streets and guitar-twanging stages. But they can also be bargains, with prices that are usually considerably lower than full-sized homes out in the suburbs.

Family houses for rent in Austin

Whether you come to wonder up at the grand Texas State Capitol or splash in the soothing waters of the Barton Springs pools, you can rest assured that there's oodles to entertain the troop in awesome Austin. Matching that is a mix of top-quality family homes, which boast multiple bedrooms, bunkbeds, large kitchens, and suburban locations in quiet neighborhoods.

A rustic cabin getaway in Austin

You shouldn't have to look too far from the heart of the state capital to find somewhere that'll let you channel that inner Texan rancher and lone ranger. Cue cabin stays, which hide in the surrounding Hill Country region, by dusty canyonlands and babbling rivers. They're usually timber built and simple, with compact interiors and little country gardens.

Some hotspots for Austin vacation rentals

Not familiar with the Lone Star State capital? No worries. The listings below can help you zero in on the place that's sure to get you most excited….

Downtown for the rhythms

There's nowhere more happening than Austin's Downtown core. You can clink whiskey sours while jiving to gritty grunge along rambunctious Sixth Street. You can hit LGBTQ bars and solo the night away with plaintive jazz in the Warehouse District. You can sample Tex-Mex and BBQ down Rainey Street. There's also an eclectic selection of places to stay, from condos to cute cottages.

Escape to cabins on the banks of Lake Travis

Break away from the bars and blues dives of the center and viola – you'll soon be out by the meandering Colorado River and the turquoise-blue waters of Lake Travis. Both of those are home to rustic cabins and shacks, where rickety porches host prime banjo-plucking spots, and cozy interiors can help you snuggle up with that someone special. Days in these parts are filled with adventure, too – think water skiing, boating, ziplining, and more.

West Austin has refined charm

Big townhouses with manicured lawns meet get-away-from-it-all retreats in the Barton Hills of West Austin. It's a part of the city where things slow down and get uber chilled. If you don't want to make the short drive into the Downtown for sightseeing, you could while away your trip steaming in private hot tubs or tasting vegan-organic food in local bistros.

The secret to getting great deals on Austin rentals

Lone Star State wonders and funky music clubs don't have to cost a bucket in Austin. That's because there are plenty of ways you can cut the price of vacation homes and apartments in this city, with two of the most popular outlined below…

Know the seasons

Texas can get sweaty in the summertime, with temperatures that peak over the 90s even. That's why most people will choose the fall and Christmas period to make a jaunt here, when the Austin City Limits and festive markets all come alive. Dodge those times of year and think about spring instead, when there's usually mild, pleasant weather, along with lower rates all round.

Finalize your booking ASAP

Austin is one of Texas's most-visited destinations. Mixing world-famous music venues with a loveable lifestyle of al fresco eats and adventure, it's easy to see why. That does have the knock-on effect of making bargains scarce for last-minute bookers, however. So, get in nice and early when deals are still on the table and you might be pleasantly surprised.